Frequently Asked Questions

What if I have a serious medical problem or disability that is being made worse by mycurrent housing?

You will need to fill in a medical self-assessment form. This can be obtained from the Norwich Home Options team. The medical self-assessment guidance leaflet that is provided with the form gives more information on how medical assessments work and how to fill in the form.

Please be aware that if your medical problem or disability is not serious and enduring and/or is not directly affected by your present housing and/or would not improve if rehoused, then you will not be given any medical priority.

What if my contact details change?

When you put in a bid it is very important that you can be contacted quickly. If the contact details you supplied, when you registered with the scheme, are no longer up to date then you must let the Norwich Home Options team know. Go to the Contact Us area of this website to obtain a form. If you successfully bid for a property but cannot be contacted you will lose that property.

The system won't let me apply for certain properties why?

You can only apply for properties for which you are eligible. For example:

You may be too young for the advertised minimum age of the property.

Your household is too large or too small for the property advertised.

How long do I have to bid for a property?

When the properties are advertised they clearly state the deadline for people to apply. That will always be one week from when the properties are advertised.

If I bid earlier in the week am I more likely to get the property?

No applying earlier will no make difference. Everyone has one week to bid for the properties.

Do I have to bid for properties every week?

No- it is up to you when and which properties you bid for. You should only bid for the properties that you genuinely want. Please note, however, if you are in the emergency band you will have a period of six weeks in which to bid on suitable properties after which time your band will be reassessed.

Will I be able to view a property before I apply for it?

No you will only be able to view a property once you have bid successfully for it and been invited to do so by the landlord. However, the properties advertised will show all the information you need to know, including a photograph, so you can decide whether to apply for it or not.

Will I be able to view a property before I decide whether to accept the offer?

Yes once you have bid successfully for a property a viewing will be arranged. You will then have up to two days to decide whether to accept the offer of the property.

What if I disagree with a decision?

You have the legal right to ask for a review of certain decisions made regarding your application for re-housing. These are:

If you have not been given preference under the allocations scheme due to unacceptable behaviour serious enough to make you unsuitable to be a tenant of the authority (this relates to your eligibility), or

any decision about the facts of your case which has been taken into account in considering whether to make an allocation to you (this would include the banding given to you).

You must ask for a review of a decision in writing using the appropriate form (available on request from the Norwich Home Options team). You must return the review form with 21 days of receiving your decision letter.

The completed review form will be considered by the relevant council, within 28 days of you returning it, and you will then receive a decision within a further 14 days.

You do not have the right to ask for a review of a decision received by an earlier review, unless you have additional information which was not presented as part of the earlier review and which the scheme council believes may have changed the earlier decision.

The system says my password (date of birth) is incorrect why is this?

You must use the date of birth of the primary applicant who originally applied to join the scheme.